Auburn and Alabama each had nine Mr. Football winners going into the 2017 season. The Tigers took the lead with Martin winning the award Tuesday for the state’s best player as determined by the Alabama Sports Writers Association .

Martin, who rushed for 2,228 yards and 33 touchdowns his senior season at Austin High, became the fourth Mr. Football in the last six years to sign with the Tigers.

Alabama's last Mr. Football winner, T.J. Yeldon (Daphne, 2011), was actually committed to Auburn, but switched to Alabama.

2017 RB Asa Martin (Austin) Auburn

2014 RB Kerryon Johnson (Madison Academy) Auburn

2013 RB Roc Thomas (Oxford) Auburn

2012 QB Jeremy Johnson (G.W. Carver) Auburn

2011 RB T.J. Yeldon (Daphne) Alabama

2008 QB Clint Moseley (Leroy) Auburn

2007 WR Julio Jones (Foley) Alabama

2005 OL Andre Smith (Huffman) Alabama

2001 QB Brandon Cox (Hewitt-Trussville) Auburn

2000 RB Carnell Williams (Etowah) Auburn

1998 DL DeMarco McNeil (Blount) Auburn

1996 RB Antoneyo Williams (Central-Tuscaloosa) Alabama

1995 TE Gorman Thornton (Jeff Davis) Alabama

1992 QB Freddie Kitchens (Etowah) Alabama

1990 QB David Palmer (Jackson-Olin) Alabama

1988 RB Darrell Williams (Vigor) Auburn

1987 RB Robert Jones (Parker) Alabama

1985 RB Pierre Goode (Hazlewood) Alabama

1983 WR Freddy Weygand (Emma Sansom) Auburn

The other two Mr. Football winners the last six years?

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Beauregard running back La'Damian Webb speaks after receiving the AHSAA Class 5A Back of the Year during the Alabama Sports Writers Association Mr. Football award ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, in Montgomery, Ala.(Photo: Albert Cesare / Advertiser)

Quarterback Tyler Johnston (Spanish Fort, 2015), who signed with UAB, and running back La’Damian Webb (Beauregard, 2016), who won Mr. Football as a junior and signed with Mississippi State in the early signing period last month.

So Gus Malzahn has landed four Mr. Football winners since becoming head coach after Auburn went 3-9 in 2012 under Gene Chizik. Martin is already enrolled at Auburn as he signed during the early period last month.

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Jeremy Johnson stuck with Auburn after Gene Chizik was fired after the 2012 season and was replaced by Gus Malzahn.(Photo: Montgomery Advertiser)

Malzahn's run of Mr. Football winners began with Jeremy Johnson, who was Nick Marshall’s backup on Auburn’s 2013 SEC championship team that lost to Florida State in the national title game.

Johnson went 7-4 as a starter, but went 2-3 in his last five starts. Throwing for 2,224 yards, 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions at Auburn, Johnson is now an assistant coach at Carver.

Roc Thomas ran for 20 touchdowns in his two years at Jacksonville State after transferring from Auburn.(Photo: Stephen Gross / Anniston Star)

Thomas had just 475 rushing yards and three touchdowns in his two years at Auburn before transferring to Football Championship Subdivision school Jacksonville State where he rushed for 1,847 yards and 20 touchdowns in his last two years of college.

Thomas won the 2017 OVC Offensive Player of the Year award as a senior.

Kerryon Johnson overcame injuries early in time at Auburn to earn 2017 SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors as he rushed for 1,391 yards and 18 touchdowns last season.

Johnson skipped his senior year to enter the 2018 NFL draft.

Kerryon Johnson (21) won SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors this past season.(Photo: Sam Craft, AP)

Tide coach Nick Saban has signed two Mr. Football winners in Jones and Yeldon, whom won SEC and national titles at Alabama in 2009 and 2012, respectively,

Jones led the Tide in receiving in Alabama’s 14-0 season in 2009 with 43 receptions for 596 yards and four touchdowns. He nearly doubled his numbers in 2010 with 78 catches for 1,113 yards and seven scores.

Leaving Alabama after his junior year, Jones was taken sixth overall in the 2011 draft by the Atlanta Falcons where he’s become an NFL All-Pro.

Julio Jones won an SEC and national title his sophomore year at Alabama in 2009.(Photo: Associated Press)

Yeldon rushed for 1,108 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns as a freshman in helping Alabama win the 2012 SEC and national titles. Finishing his college career with 3,322 yards and 37 touchdowns, Yeldon, like Jones, left Alabama before his senior year.

The Jacksonville Jaguars took Yeldon in the second round in 2015 and are utilizing him as a third-down back.